FORMER Southend United boss Barry Fry has revealed the Shrimpers picked up a whopping £4.6million in total for Stan Collymore.

The ex Shrimpers striker memorably scored 18 goals in 32 games before leaving to join Nottingham Forest in the summer of 1993.

And Fry was able to get a great deal for the club.

“Stan was great,” said Fry.

“I sat with him on the coach when I first got the job and said about how there was a lot of talk about him leaving in the window and that he must be disappointed.

“But I told him if he knuckled down and did it for me I wouldn’t stand in his way at the end of the season.

“I asked him who his favourite club was and he said Aston Villa.

“I told him I knew Ron Atkinson very well and I’d sort a deal. “ However, Collymore ended up joining Nottingham Forest.

“The problem with Ron was that he wanted to offer me three Villa players plus money,” said Fry.

“Frank Clark, who was the Forest manager at the time, offered me £2.2million with add ons so I took that.

“We got another £250,000 if they got promoted which they did, £250,000 if Stan got 25 goals which he did and another £250,000 if he played for England which he did.

“We also had a sell on clause so when he went to Liverpool we got another chunk.

“It was a great deal for Southend and we ended up getting about £4.6million.”